Creating eye whites

A simple step-by-step tutorial for creating eye whites to help create expression for your teddy bear. There are tools available for precision cutting of fabric circles, but I prefer to use a steady hand and a pair of embroidery scissors.

To begin: You will need a pair of teddy bear eyes, a piece of white felt, an awl and a fabric marker pen and a pair of fine pointed embroidery scissors.

1. Make a small hole in the white felt using your awl. The hole should be just big enough to allow the eye post to pass through easily. Tip: Make sure your hole isn't close to the edge of the felt.

2. Insert the eye post through the small hole in the felt.

 3. Cut around the felt until you have the shape you want. When you have the shape you want, remove the felt and make a second eye white to match.

4. Using a fine tipped fabric marker pen (I've used black for my bear) carefully colour the edge of the white felt. This will help add definition.

5. Insert eye as usual. Tip: If your eye white is quite large you may like to use a tiny spot of glue to help it to stay in place.

6. Insert second eye, taking care to position eye white to match first eye.

7. Trim eye area of excess mohair carefully.

8. Using fabric marker pen, shade area from edge of eye white to blend subtlely into surrounding mohair eye socket area. Tip:You may prefer to shade your eye socket prior to inserting the eyes ... this is a matter of personal preference and technique.

Et voila! A simple but effective technique to add a little extra character to your teddy bear!